all five horizons

Not new but new to me: I discovered Paramore at the MTV Video Music Awards.  I love this song.

This song has been swirling around my head recently:

Sister, you’ve been on my mind
Sister, we’re two of a kind
So, sister, I’m keepin’ my eye on you.

I betcha think I don’t know nothin’
But singin’ the blues, oh, sister,
Have I got news for you, I’m something,
I hope you think that you’re something too

Scufflin’, I been up that lonesome road
And I seen a lot of suns going down
Oh, but trust me,
No-o low life’s gonna run me around.

So let me tell you something Sister,
Remember your name, No twister
Gonna steal your stuff away, my sister,
We sho’ ain’t got a whole lot of time,
So-o-o shake your shimmy Sister,
‘Cause honey the ’shug’ is feelin’ fine.

I love this movie so much and this particular scene always tugs on my heart strings. It is so affirming and the first time anyone  has ever really shown Celie any love, other than her sister.  I managed to find this song (Miss Celie’s Blues sung by Molly Johnson) on iTunes which is just another reason why iTunes is so great. I would not have wanted the whole soundtrack but I do love this song.  I also love the gospel hymn Shug sings, God is trying to tell you something:

See Daddy? Sinners have soul too.

Goosebumps.

About a year ago, my husband bought himself a bass guitar since he has been wanting to learn to play for years.  It was very pretty and sat happily in our lounge on a stand in the corner. It was picked up occasionally and was a conversation piece but that was about it. Finally, ricardo got round to finding himself a tutor so that he could learn to play in earnest. And learn he did! He clearly has a natural ability for it and enjoys playing immensely. Then a couple of months ago, his tutor told him about one of his other students who had a band that needed a bass player.  And so began my husband’s rock career.

Their first gig was a short 3-song set at an open-mic night at a local pub. While people drank and ate, band after band took to the stage to play an eclectic range of music. I waited feeling completely nauseous. I realised I had turned into Francie who acted like such a jerk when Charlie sang in public for the first time. I didn’t want to be embarrassed for them. Or by them. Most of all, I didn’t want them to make a tit of themselves. I had no idea how good they would be or what they would sound like. I think I was easily as nervous as they were. I needn’t have worried. Sure, they were by no means polished - they still had a lot of work to do - but they sounded good. No, they sounded really good.

The band consists of a 15-year-old lead singer (I could be him mum - completely depressing) with a voice which is more mature than you would expect. Bluesy and strong but still needs to be honed.  The others are all about to go off to Uni which makes ricardo at 29 the grandpa of the group but easily the best looking (although admittedly I am biased).

Last night, the band (called Lucille) played their first full set at another local pub in front of friends and family. It was a roaring success and they should be feeling very pleased with themselves. To have come so far in such little time is fantastic. What is less fantastic is packing about the gear in the pouring rain afterwards but until they start their arena tour, I fear a few more grotty nights in my future of hauling heavy crap around in the rain. They still have a lot of work to do to improve and hone and polish but that’s only natural. And though I didn’t really expect to be doing the whole local band thing again 15 years after I was doing it the first time, I can’t say I’m not enjoying it. Now I just need to make a t-shirt that says ‘Bass Players Do It Better’ to really nark my mum!